Nineteen Years
by Mr.SturgisPodmore
Summary: Ever wonder what happened between Harry's teenage life and adulthood? Here's some filler. Angsty. Rated T for language. Please R&R, as I only put up the next Chapter when I get a review, let's me know if I'm writing this for nothing or not. R&R, please!
1. Chapter 1: Aftermath

Chapter One: Aftermath

Harry walked down the spiraling steps with Ron and Hermione trailing behind him. Harry looked down at the broken Gargoyle on the floor.

'_Reparo,_' he said, and the Gargoyle formed together and resumed its position guarding the spiral steps to the Headmaster's office.

'Thank you,' it said as Harry, Ron and Hermione continued down the corridor. The damage to the school was great. Half the ceiling in the Charm's corridor was missing and lay along the floor, all the statues that should have been on the sides were missing, and a few of them lay in pieces amongst the ruins of the ceiling. Many students and teachers alike were scrambling around the school, collecting the dead and trying to repair what damage they could.

Harry, Ron and Hermione walked silently into the Great Hall where most of the school sat at the house tables, though they were mixed up, as no-one was bothering to sit according to house. Professor McGonagall stood up once they sat down.

'Today is both a happy and sad day. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is vanquished, but at a great cost. We have lost many. Without their sacrifices, The Dark Lord could never have been vanquished. Let us all have a moment of silence for those who died to save the Wizarding world.'

Everyone in the hall bowed their heads; even Malfoy over by the Slytherin table, huddled between his two parents bowed his head in honor of Crabbe. Harry raised his head to look around the Great Hall, Mrs. Weasley and Ginny were holding each other silently, heads bowed, George, who was beside them, was also bowing his head, tears streaming down his cheeks for his dead twin. Harry fought the urge to cry himself at the sight of George, broken and crying. Harry was reminded horribly of a small young girl who had her doll stolen by her big brother.

'Thank you,' Professor McGonagall said quietly. 'This will be hardest on the families of the deceased. And now,' she said, with a rare smile, something which did not appear on her face often, 'we shall celebrate with a feast from the kitchens!'

Food appeared on plates along the tables. Harry distinctly heard Ron's stomach groan beside him. But Harry, who only wanted to sleep, quietly slipped the invisibility cloak over himself while everyone else reached for the food and prodded Ron and Hermione with his newly repaired Phoenix Wand. The two got the message and stood up immediately (Ron rather reluctantly, and giving the food a look of longing). The two followed an invisible Harry out of the Great Hall and Harry slipped off the cloak once they were out of the Hall. They continued until they were outside the castle grounds.

'Harry, why aren't we staying for the Feast?' Ron complained, his stomach rumbled in consistent argument.

'I just want to sleep,' Harry said wearily, turning on the spot as the familiar sensation of constriction upon his chest and darkness overwhelmed him. He appeared in front of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place, and immediately heard the two _cracks_ beside him that told him Ron and Hermione had known where he was headed.

'The Death Eaters aren't all gone Harry. Who knows, after Hogwarts they could have fled here, how do we know?' Hermione said fearfully.

'Only one way to find out,' said Ron, but he too sounded a little afraid.

Harry however, who had faced down Voldemort and many other dangers, was not altogether fearful and walked up the stone steps and opened the front door. The two followed him in a little apprehensively. Harry took a step into the house and felt another familiar sensation as his tongue folded inwards. The Tongue-Tying Curse Moody had set up for Snape was still working, and Harry had no idea how to get rid of it. He made a mental note to ask Hermione in the morning.

'Well it seems okay,' Hermione breathed somewhere to Harry's left.

'Yeah,' came Ron's voice from the same direction. Harry took a step forward and the horribly familiar creature arose from the carpet, arms outstretched towards them, long silver beard billowing behind him-

'We didn't kill you,' Harry said, and the figure exploded. Harry walked up the steps as Hermione put the Troll's Leg Umbrella stand right side up, as the figure had knocked it over again, and the two followed him up. Harry saw the House Elf heads and saw Hermione pull a disgusted look.

'Kreacher?' Harry called through the house. When they had disapparated after the fiasco at the Ministry and had left Grimmauld Place in a hurry, they had no idea if Kreacher had stayed, though he was leading the House Elves to battle at Hogwarts.

_Crack. _The small body of a House Elf appeared in front of the three of them. Kreacher wore the traditional House Elf pillow case and his bat like ears were drooping slightly. White hair was growing out of them.

'Master called?'

'Yeah. How d'you feel about a little cooking?'

'Kreacher lives to serve Master,' the Elf said scrambling down the stairs in a hurry to get to the kitchen. Harry looked nervously at Hermione, fearing that she might object to the work Harry was putting Kreacher up to, but she was looking awkwardly at Ron, who was staring avidly at a stain on the wall.

Deciding not to comment, Harry walked down the stairs too, leaving the two to avoid what had happened in the Room of Requirement in peace. Kreacher was already busying himself by the stove.

'Can you make me a sandwich Kreacher? I'm craving a sandwich.'

'Yes, Master Harry. And what will Mr. Weasley and the Mud-' he stopped. 'The…the...Miss take?' he said as they came into the kitchen and sat down opposite each other, Ron beside Harry and Hermione on the other side of the table.

'I'm not hungry, Kreacher, thanks,' Ron said.

'And don't trouble yourself over me Kreacher, I'm not hungry either,' Hermione said sweetly.

Kreacher looked as though he didn't want to trouble himself over Hermione anyways, and began making Harry a sandwich after a look from Harry.

'I wonder if the school will open again, after all that's happened,' Hermione said quietly.

'It always does,' Ron said confidently. 'I mean there was the whole Chamber of Secrets thing, wasn't there? But it stayed open no problem.'

Hermione looked skeptical as Kreacher placed a sandwich in front of Harry, who was beside Ron.

'Yes but the damage to the school-'

'Oh McGonagall can fix that up in about a second-'

Maybe,' she replied, not looking at him and staring at a point just over his left shoulder. Harry thought it best not to comment, but this was driving him increasingly mad. They had shared a kiss in the Room of Requirement. So what? Did that make things all awkward now? Surely they would start going out? But with each passing second this seemed less and less likely, as both were avoiding each other's gaze.

'I'm going to bed,' Harry said once he'd finished his sandwich.

'Harry we can do that at The Burrow,' Hermione said, curiously.

'No,' Harry replied confidently, as he strode out of the kitchen and walked into the living room he'd once camped with Ron and Hermione while planning their break in into the Ministry, 'I want to sleep here.'

He conjured a comfortable sleeping bag and crawled in. Ron and Hermione joined him a few minutes later. Harry looked over and saw Hermione on the couch she'd slept in last time, and Ron on the floor beneath her. This time, Hermione's hand was not dangling from the side of the couch, and Ron's were shoved deep under his own sleeping bag. Harry was slightly irritated with them both. They had kissed in The Room of Requirement, so what? It doesn't mean they have to be awkward around each other. Shouldn't it mean they'd get together? But apparently not…

Harry closed his eyes and allowed unconsciousness to consume him.

He awoke with his face pressed against the cold floor and got up. Hermione and Ron were already gone. Harry found this ironic, as they had once told him off for leaving them in this very room. He walked through the house to the kitchen where he found Ron and Hermione sitting at opposite ends of the table, Ron looking at the bottom of the door where Harry had just appeared, and Hermione was watching the furnace room door intently, of which Kreacher had made his home for the last twelve years.

Harry sat down in between the two silently as Kreacher poked open his door and walked out, a broad smile on his face.

'And what will master have this morning?' he croaked. His head didn't even reach Harry's midriff even though he was sitting.

'Nothing Kreacher, we're leaving for the Burrow in a few minutes anyways,' Harry replied. Harry got up and peered into Kreacher's 'bedroom.' The nest like bed was next to the bulky old fashioned furnace, along with a few pictures which he must have collected recently, as Mundungus had stolen them all from his room just a few months ago. It was not very cozy looking. And given Kreacher's new attitude…

'Kreacher,' said Harry, 'Why don't you move into an actual room? What about Sirius' room?'

Kreacher looked alarmed at the very thought and shook his head violently. He would not live in the room of the master he had hated so much.

'What about Mrs. Black's then?'

Kreacher's eyes widened even more.

'K-K-Kreacher?' he croaked, his eyes swimming with tears. 'K-Kreacher live in Mistress Black's room? N-Never! Never could Kreacher d-do such a thing!'

'Oh go on Kreacher!' Hermione encouraged. 'You deserve a proper room!'

'But House Elves is not supposed to Miss!' he said, looking almost pleadingly at Ron.

'Look Kreacher, I am ordering you to move into that room,' Harry said. 'You want to go right?'

'Y-Y-Yes,' Kreacher sobbed. There was a pause as he stopped crying, and the kitchen was suddenly silent and eerie. Then Kreacher fell to the floor and began crying as loudly as was possible. His hands beat the ground as he wailed and wailed. So overcome was he to be allowed to live in his favorite Mistress' room, that he could not walk for several minutes. Harry, Ron and Hermione escorted him up the steps (Kreacher had to be carried by Harry as he was too overwhelmed with emotions to walk) to Mrs. Black's room. Harry had never been in there before. He knew Sirius had kept Buckbeak the Hippogriff in here.

Ron pushed open the door. There was an elegant bed in one corner, coated in dust. Harry thought he heard a few squeaks as Kreacher was carried into the center of the room. The floor was littered with Hippogriff feathers. Apparently Sirius did not care enough about his mother to clean up after Buckbeak. One wall had small specks of blood on it, probably from the dead rats Sirius used to feed Buckbeak.

Kreacher absolutely refused to sleep in the bed, and so Hermione summoned his nest like blankets and trinkets with a Summoning Charm. Harry ducked as they flew into the room through the door and settled themselves neatly beside the bed.

'Hey Kreacher,' Harry said as they turned to leave out the door.

'Y-Yes master?'

'Clean up this house. It's filthy.' Kreacher knew he was not being told off, that he was not being yelled at, and that Harry was only joking. Kreacher smiled weakly as they left the room, climbed down the stairs, and they walked through the dusty halls and out the front door. Harry walked down the steps, the other two behind him.

'Mum'll be at home. We should go.'

'See you,' Harry said, and turned on the spot.

Moments later a very familiar and pleasing sight came to his eyes. The Burrow was as shabby and lopsided as ever. But it was the closest thing Harry had to a home, besides Hogwarts. Mrs. Weasley and Ginny came running out the front door the second they appeared. Mrs. Weasley looked close to tears, and Ginny was just jogging along behind her slightly frantic mother, giving her an exasperated look behind her back.

'Oh thank goodness! You all disappeared; no one knew where you went! I thought you might've come back here but-'

'We went to Grimmauld Place,' Harry said. 'I just…wanted to visit.'

She looked as though she might say something, but she seemed to decide better of it and grabbed Ron into a hug. Ron, surprisingly, didn't struggle or try to get out of it. Mrs. Weasley seemed to notice this too, and she released him quicker then she would have normally, holding him at arms length and looking at him in awe.

'Ron? Are you feeling okay?' Ginny said, putting a hand on his forehead, who hastily beat it away.

'I've gotten used to your hugs, mum,' Ron said with a shrug. Mrs. Weasley looked as though she was about to burst into tears, and turned back towards the house, beckoning them all in.

'Everyone's asleep,' Mrs. Weasley whispered as they stepped into the clotted kitchen. 'Arthur'll be leaving for work soon, so you can say hi Ron, and then he's off. You lot got here at six in the morning! I was only up because-' she broke off and Harry thought he glimpsed a shining tear in her eye before she turned her back to them and busied herself with making bacon. Harry thought she looked like she'd been up all night crying, her eyes were puffy, and she had bags under them.

Of course, thought Harry. Fred had died less then two days ago. He too, was still feeling sad about the whole thing. Then there was all the other people, Tonks, Lupin, Colin…

But he would not allow himself to think about them. Not here, not now.

'How-how are you doing Mrs. Weasley?' Hermione said quietly from her seat at the table to which Harry looked, and to his surprise, he found Ron with his arm around her, as she leant into his shoulder, trying desperately to hold back tears.

'I-I've been alright,' she said. Her entire body was shaking and she missed the frying pan and the bacon flopped onto the floor. 'H-How about you Ron? Have you been okay?'

'I…I'm trying not to think about it. S'pose I'll have to face it eventually…'

'How's George?' Harry asked Mrs. Weasley as she flicked her wand and the bacon flew into the frying pan.

'I-I don't know…he didn't come home. Went to the shop I think…'

Harry exchanged a worried look with Ron, Ginny and Hermione, un-noticed by Mrs. Weasley as she hastily threw eggs into a second frying pan.

'We'll go check on him later mum,' Ron said.

'Did you lot get any sleep?' Ginny asked from her own seat at the table.

'I did,' Harry said as he sat down beside her. 'But that's only because I was dead tired. I won't get any tonight.'

'I'm leaving tomorrow,' Hermione said un-expectantly and to general astonishment. Mrs. Weasley turned away from her cooking to look at Hermione, and Ginny's long red hair nearly hit Harry in the face as her head whipped around to face Hermione in shock.

'What? Why? Ron said, straightening up to look at her.

'N-Nothing like that! I'll be back in a few weeks. I just have to remove the Memory Charm off my parents, you know. I'll take a train or something to somewhere closer to Australia and then Apparate from there.'

The room went quiet; Ron especially was looking moody as Percy came down from his room. He told them all he would stay here for a few days, and then go back to his place in London with Penelope. He also placed several not very covert hints that there might just be another marriage in the family around the corner. And Mrs. Weasley burst into tears and hugged Percy, jumping up and down, as he showed her the ring.

'Yes, yes, I'm very happy about it all. Penelope's bound to say yes. Been at it for years now, it's been coming all this time.'

He repeated several of these sentences before he was able to begin eating his bacon, of which Harry, Ron and Ginny were already done. Even though his grief for Fred was very apparent, it couldn't hold in his smug tone of voice.

'Quidditch anyone?' Ron said, pushing his plate away from him and getting up. Harry and Ginny both got up as well. 'Percy, Quidditch?'

'I...umm…well I can see if I don't have any work- I mean, no guarantees-'

Ron nearly smiled. 'We'll see you in five minutes in the orchard.'

They walked silently out to the broom shed and grabbed their brooms. Harry was forced to use Fred's as his Firebolt had careened to the ground when the Death Eaters ambushed them as soon as they left Privet Drive. Fred's broom was much slower then Harry was used to, but he enjoyed playing Quidditch greatly. Hermione joined Harry and Ginny's team, while Ron, Percy, and Mrs. Weasley, who normally did not play sports, took them on. Mrs. Weasley was rather good, Harry thought, as she dodged around her daughter and put the Quaffle through a floating basket, which Hermione had been guarding badly.

Harry thought she was only playing because she wanted to take her mind of Fred, but she seemed to be thoroughly enjoying herself.

'Hey Mrs. Weasley,' Harry called as he passed the Quaffle to Ginny who sped off towards Ron guarding his own floating basket, 'did you ever play for Gryffindor?'

'On the house team?' she called back, as she sped off towards her daughter and past Harry. 'No, I never bothered trying out. Arthur tried out in his sixth year, but he didn't make it. Arbles didn't like him much, thought he was a bit of a- HA!' she said as she managed to snatch the Quaffle out of Ginny's hand when she raised it to shoot, 'thought he was a bit of a nerd.' She finished as she zoomed past Harry, who tried to snatch it from her in a ditch attempt to grab the Quaffle, and she put another one past Hermione.

An hour later they walked up to the house, dirty, smelly, and sweating, but grinning broadly. Ron's team had won, one hundred and sixty to one hundred and ten. Mrs. Weasley scored most of the points and made up for Percy, who was horrible, and Ginny was much better then Hermione, and managed to save more goals then she did anyway.

They sat down around the table and ate a hasty lunch before Mrs. Weasley announced that the garden needed de-gnoming. So Harry, Ron and Hermione, walked back outside towards the garden, which was so full of weeds Harry couldn't see any actual plants. A hairy gnome that looked like a hairy potato with legs poked its head out of a hole in the ground. Ron snatched it quickly and grabbed its legs.

Hermione, who had never seen Harry or Ron de-gnome the garden watched curiously as Ron picked it up. Her expression changed to shock as Ron began to spin it round and round his head, and then to revulsion as he let go, and the gnome went flying through the air, spinning all the way towards the stump which Fred (Harry felt a jolt in his stomach at the thought) had reckoned he could throw his past almost six years ago.

'Ron! That's cruel! You can't do that to gnomes!'

'It doesn't hurt them, Hermione,' Ron said, picking up another and beginning to swing it round and round again. 'And it's their own faults anyways; stupid gits pop their heads up as soon as they know what's going on.'

Hermione looked very miffed indeed, and refused to throw them. She did, however, help them de-gnome the garden, as she was worried about Mrs. Weasley's reaction when she found out that she hadn't helped. She picked one up by the foot, holding it away from her as though it were something very smelly, and walked all the way to the fence and dropped it.

'Ridiculous,' Ron muttered to Harry as Hermione walked back towards them, giving Ron a very nasty look. Once the de-gnoming was done, it was going on four o'clock. Harry, Ron and Hermione began walking up the stairs to Ron's room, intending to talk a little bit before dinner as they had had no such opportunity so far. And Hermione was leaving next day after breakfast, so they wanted a little bit of time to talk first.

Ron pushed open the door and plunked himself down on his bed. Hermione sat on the end and Harry leaned on the wall, sagging slightly. The de-gnoming wasn't exactly hard, but doing it for three hours in the hot sun can take its toll on someone.

'So when do you leave Hermione?' Harry asked her.

'Right after breakfast, I think. I'll write you both, you'll be here Harry?'

'No where else to go.'

'I think I heard your mum say McGonagall's coming for dinner, Ron,' Hermione said, looking at him directly. Ron seemed slightly embarrassed but did not turn away.

'McGonagall?' he repeated, saying something for the first time since he'd explained the de-gnoming process to Hermione. 'Doesn't she have enough to do at Hogwarts? Repairs and stuff? And she's the new Headmistress isn't she? Now Snape's gone?'

'No, I don't think so,' Hermione said shaking her head. 'Your mum said McGonagall is only staying for the repairs and then she's leaving the school. She's getting old isn't she? I'm sure she'd like to just retire after all the excitement yesterday…'

The door opened and Ginny came in, clutching a copy of the daily prophet.

'Ron,' she said turning towards him. 'Mum says dinners nearly ready. She's invited Hagrid, and McGonagall, and a few others.'

She plunked herself next to Harry and leant her head on his shoulders.

'What's this?' Harry asked pointing to the newspaper still clutched in her hand.

'Oh,' she said, looking down at the paper as though she had completely forgotten she was holding it. 'Right, yes well you're famous,' she said lazily, flicking the paper onto the floor in front of him. The caption read "_Harry Potter the__ Chosen Champion."_

_Harry Potter__ recently rumored to have had a connection to the also recently vanquished evil wizard known as 'He Who Must Not Be Named,' has succeeded in what many people believe to be his destiny. Of course we all know the story of__ Harry Potter. But what most of the Wizarding community is not aware of, is that yesterday a great battle took place on the grounds of the famous school Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where it is rumored that the Dark Lord himself was vanquished by none other then Harry Potter. These details were confirmed by Rita Skeeter, as she went to the famous school to find out the facts for herself._

'_I walked into the Great Hall,' says Skeeter, 'and there he was, off in a corner away from the other decea__sed, nearly had a heart attack when I saw him up close, s__lits for nostrils and blood red eyes!'_

_These reports have also been verified by many other sources._

'_I saw it all happen,' says Mrs. Longbottom, a survivor of the battle at the famous school. 'It was the strangest duel I ever saw. Their spells met in mid-air and You-Know-Who's wand just flew out of his hand and into Harry's, and then it was over. The Dark Lord was dead, nobody knew what happened.'_

_This strange duel will surely become great Wizarding History. Harry Potter was mysteriously missing from the Great Hall when the press went for interviews. Harry Potter will surely be heralded as a great Wizard Hero for decades to come._

Harry looked down at the article on the floor. There he was, an old picture of him surely, he was waving from in front of a banner that read 'Tri-wizard Tournament', which Harry recognized as the photo-shoot where he'd first met Rita Skeeter. Wordlessly, he passed the paper to Hermione, who leant closer to Ron so he could read it as well. Ron's grin grew wider and wider as he read on, and Hermione maintained the same look of impassive thoughtfulness and she finished before Ron and shoved it roughly into his hands when he snatched at it as she tried to fold it up.

'Well it was bound to happen Harry,' Hermione said reasonably. 'I mean he's been around for ages, and you've fought him so many times, so obviously they'd make a big deal out of it.'

Ron finished reading the article and leaned back into his pillow, hands behind his head. Hermione gave him a strange look which Harry would have thought a mother would look like once her baby had taken its first steps.

The door opened a second time and Mrs. Weasley came in looking puffy-eyed.

'D-Dinners ready. G-George is here, he looks awful.'

George did indeed look awful when Harry walked down the stairs and glimpsed him sitting at the table. Both Hermione and Ginny marched over to him and gave him a hug from behind the chair, one after the other. George didn't really hug them back, just patted them both on the arm sadly, and resumed staring at his peas. Hagrid sat in a magically enhanced chair and took up an entire side of the already over-crowded table. Professor McGonagall gave Harry a sad smile from across the table and continued to eat her chicken slowly.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley both were looking particularily forlorn and Mrs. Weasley didn't eat anything at all. In fact, (and Harry felt slightly guilty here) most of Mrs. Weasley's dinner went to waste. Hermione gave her chicken to an eager Crookshanks, who was blessed with ignorance of the deaths the rest of them had all suffered. George went back to the shop shortly after dinner, hardly saying a word, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley went up to bed not long after that. Hagrid left for Hogwarts, and Professor McGonagall went to her house, Harry supposed. Percy trudged up to bed a few minutes after them, leaving the four of them alone. Ron and Hermione huddled together in an armchair, Ron on the arm, and Harry and Ginny clutched each other on the couch sadly. Holding each other as if it would keep their emotions locked up.

Ron and Hermione went up to bed without a word after twenty minutes of absolute silence, leaving Harry and Ginny alone.

The two sat there on the couch holding each other for a time Harry was not even aware of. All he was aware of was who he was holding, and who has holding him, sobbing quietly into his chest. Then out of somewhere, though Harry wasn't quite sure where from, Ginny squirmed out of his grip and stood in front of him, towering over him.

'Harry Potter!' she screamed at him.

'Er …Ginny Weasley!'

'How could you!'

Harry was thoroughly bewildered. Ten seconds ago she had been curled up against, him completely content, now she looked ready to kill him.

'I-I dunno…'

'You just left! Ron told me about how he left you and Hermione, and how she absolutely _kicked his ass!'_'

'Well that was...slightly different-'

'No it wasn't! Oh Harry Potter, _I'm going to kill you!_''

Harry thought he heard a bed creaking upstairs and footsteps on the landing. Ginny was giving Harry a hard, disbelieving look as Mrs. Weasley came in, looking bewildered.

'Why are you shouting Ginny? You'll wake up the whole house!'

She gave Harry a look behind Ginny's back which Harry took to mean 'Sorry. She's a bit touchy.'

Once they heard the bedroom door close, Ginny went straight into it.

'You all left to do who knows what,' she hissed. 'Off to kill Voldemort with my brother and Hermione. Do you know how worried I was? What if one of you died? I love all of you, and I couldn't deal with another Moody!'

'Ginny-'

'_No! _ You think there wasn't going to be tears after this? After I saw Hagrid carrying your dead body up to us? Do you have any idea what that did to me, seeing you there? Do you even _care?'_'

'Of course I- Ginny your being ridiculous. I was fine, I was-'

'But I didn't think you were! I thought you were _dead! _'

She was yelling again, and Mrs. Weasley came down the stairs again, quicker this time.

'Ginny, keep it _down_. You woke up Ron and Hermione!'

She went upstairs angrily and this time slammed her bedroom door.

'Ginny-'

'No,' she said, standing up and walking out of the room.

'Ginny!' But she was out of the room, and he heard her bedroom door close quietly. Harry went up to bed not long after, to find Hermione occupying the cot beside Ron's bed. Harry plunked down in front of the bed, and cradled his head in his arms, willing himself to fall asleep, but Ginny wouldn't let him. The argument wouldn't let him.


	2. Chapter 2: Hermione's Departure

Chapter Two: Hermione's Departure

Harry awoke to a curious sensation spreading up and down his right arm. As he raised his head, blood flooded into his arm, and it was completely numb. Shaking his arm and trying to get the blood flowing, Harry glanced up at the bed and Ron was not in it, and nor was Hermione in the cot at the floor.

Harry got dressed quickly, shoved on his glasses, and walked downstairs. Hermione and Ron were sitting beside each other, talking with smiles on their faces, Mr. Weasley was looking somber and was eating his breakfast quietly, and Ginny was stirring her cornflakes slowly, looking troubled. Harry was about to sit next to Ginny, when he remembered the argument of the previous night, and instead sat beside Ron. Mrs. Weasley was preparing some bacon and had her face hidden.

'Hermione dear,' she said with a sniffle, 'when are you leaving?

'In an hour or so, and I'll just have some eggs and toast, Mrs. Weasley, thank you,' she added as Mrs. Weasley came over with a plate of bacon, offering her some. Mrs. Weasley nodded and divided the entire plate between Harry and Ron. She flopped down three eggs into Harry's plate and gave him seven sausages. Harry was very hungry, as he hadn't eaten much at dinner yesterday.

When breakfast was done, Ron went up the stairs to fetch Hermione's trunk. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley said their goodbyes from the kitchen table and put their heads together as Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny walked out into the front yard. Hermione stood at the gate, smiling at them all as Harry, Ron and Ginny lined up in front of her.

Hermione and Ginny hugged.

'See you soon,' Ginny whispered.

'Sooner then you'll expect,' Hermione replied.

Harry was next. Hermione hugged him too.

'Bye Harry, see you soon. Don't get yourself killed by some Dark Wizard.'

'See you, Hermione.'

And then it was Ron's turn. Ron and Hermione sort of looked at each other oddly and then Ron mumbled; 'Well…er-bye, Hermione.' He was looking at the ground, and tenderness flowed into Hermione's face. Ron looked into her face, and they stared at each other for a few seconds. And then, as if by some undetectable mental consent, both ran up to each other, and began kissing fiercely. Harry looked awkwardly at Ginny, who was trying not to laugh. Ron still hadn't gotten much better at kissing then he had been with Lavender, and Ginny was hiding her grin behind her hand.

They broke apart awkwardly.

'Well…bye, Ron. I'll write. To all of you,' she added as she stepped out of the gate and turned on the spot, disappearing with a _crack. _Ron was trying not to smile as they turned around and walked back towards the Burrow.

'Hey, Ron, were you trying to eat her face?'

'Shut up,' Ron said, punching Ginny in the arm.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley met them half way across the yard.

'We're going out,' she said shortly. 'We'll see you lot at dinner. Ron,' she added to her son, 'George could probably use your help at the shop, he's dealing with-with…well he could use your help.'

'Yeah, alright, I'm coming.' Ron followed his parents out the gate and they all disapparated, leaving Ginny and Harry alone in the house. Percy had left early in the morning for his house in London with his soon-to-be-fiancé, so Harry and Ginny were left alone. Which would have been great, a perfect time for them to talk, about the future, about the past, about Ron, about Hermione, but it wasn't anymore. Ginny was still mad and she stalked off into the house and Harry couldn't find her for a good ten minutes. She wasn't in the living room, kitchen, or even her own bedroom.

'Ginny?' Harry called from the second floor.

No answer.

'Ginny?'

'I'm here.'

The voice came from the first floor, and Harry bolted down the stairs. She was sitting at the kitchen table, looking at a stain on the surface.

'Look, Ginny-'

'I know,' she said.

He sat down beside her and she leaned her head on his shoulder and Harry put his arm around her.

'I know I shouldn't have yelled…but you just don't know what it was like seeing you there,' she said.

Harry didn't answer, he just held her closer. Ginny was listening to his heartbeat. A heartbeat she had thought had stopped beating only two days ago. A heartbeat she'd thought had abandoned her forever. For how long they sat there, Harry didn't know. He didn't care. Holding Ginny felt so right to him, and nothing, nothing, could beat this feeling. Not winning at Quidditch, not eating chocolate after a Dementor attack, nothing.

Harry heard the front door opened and Mrs. Weasley walked in, looking flustered.

'Ginny, Harry? Arthur had to go into work, I mean you'd think with You-Know-Who dead there'd be not very much but-' She'd entered the kitchen and found them clutching each other.

For a split second she stood there, her mouth open slightly, and then she dropped the groceries she was carrying, threw her hands over her head, and screamed in delight, rushing forwards and hugging them both while jumping up and down. The result was that Harry and Ginny nearly fell of the chair and Mrs. Weasley continued her joyful rampage.

'I knew it! I knew it!' she screamed in delight. 'Oh this is _wonderful!_'' She seemed unable to speak anymore and seemed to realize how ridiculous she had been and picked up the groceries, red faced.

'Mum, we were dating in my Fifth year-'

'Well no-one bothered to tell me! Oh you two, this is _wonderful. _You wait 'til your father here's Ginny-'

'Ten to one says he already knows,' Ginny muttered to Harry.

Ron and George came back for dinner about twenty minutes before it started. George was still looking terrible, and even Ron looked bad. Mr. Weasley came in a few minutes later, looking stony faced and yet easily susceptible to harm. Like an injured puppy.

The table ate in silence, and half way through dinner they were interrupted by a barn owl swooping in through the open window and setting itself in the only open space on the table between the beets and mashed potatoes.

Ron eagerly untied the letter and announced; 'It's from Hermione!'

'You don't say,' Ginny said, rolling her eyes.

Ron threw her a scathing look and opened the letter and read to the entire room.

_Dear Harry and Ron,_

_Right now I__'__m on a train headed to India, where I can easily Apparate to Australia and fetch my parents. I__'__ll grab them, reverse the charm, and bring them back to London. I should be back in a few days._

Ron paused here, as though he wasn't sure what to say or couldn't say what was on the paper and continued;

_With love, Hermione._

'Well that'll be nice, write her back, Ron, and tell her that Hermione and her parents can stay here,' Mrs. Weasley said. '_After _dinner, though,' she shot at him as he made to get up.

'Oh the Muggles?' Mr. Weasley said. He seemed to be pleased enough to come out of his mood. 'Coming to stay? I wonder if-'

'Arthur,' Mrs. Weasley said in her most dangerous tone, 'you will not pester those poor Muggles about spark plugs and all that other nonsense.'

The rest of dinner went fairly slowly, and afterwards Harry, Ron and Ginny went up to Ron's room and Ron wrote Hermione saying that she and her parents could come and stay for a while until they got settled again.

'Ginny, d'you think you could leave for a moment?' Ron said unexpectedly.

Ginny gave him an odd look, but left kissing Harry on the cheek and shutting the door.

'You guys are all better now, eh?' Ron said. 'I heard you two last night…'

'We worked it out in our time alone today,' Harry said.

'Look what Hermione wrote,' Ron said, thrusting the letter he had in his hands into Harry's chest.

_Dear Harry and Ron,_

_Right now I__'__m on a train headed to India, where I can easily Apparate to Australia and fetch my parents. I__'__ll grab them, reverse the charm, and bring them back to London. I should be back in a few days._

_Ron, I have to talk to you when I get back. It__'__s important. I__'__ll see you soon._

_With love, Hermione._

'So this is what you paused on, I wondered,' Harry said.

'Well?'

'Well what?'

'She wants to "talk". What does that mean?'

'Why would I know?' Harry said, confused.

Ron jumped on his bed and lay on his side, facing Harry.

'I dunno…you have more experience then me with this stuff.'

'Well in Muggle movies it meant they wanted to break up, but I dunno…'

Ron seemed slightly downcast as he turned off the lights.

'G'night, Harry.'

Harry was not really too surprised, but he was slightly taken-aback. Deciding, once again, not to comment, Harry lay down in his cot and let unconsciousness claim him.

Harry awoke next morning to Ron getting dressed hastily.

'What's your hurry?' Harry asked sleepily, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

'George wants me in the shop early, says there's a bunch of people today, and I gotta be in. See you.'

And he left.

Harry watched him Apparate from Ron's window.

Ron was checking out items. A particular boy was trying to buy something not sold to his age and Ron was trying to explain to him. Unfortunately, he seemed to be the equivalent of Draco Malfoy.

'Look, you can't have that, it's for sixteens and up,' Ron said.

'But my father said I could get whatever I wanted!' the boy whined.

'Well you can have anything else you see,' Ron said, walking back to the counter. 'Verity,' Ron said to a young, pretty looking woman with a young girl showing her the wonder witch products, 'could you handle these?' he said, pointing to the line at the check out, 'I'm going to go find George.'

'Of course Mr. Weasley,' she said, walking towards the register.

Ron walked into the back room to find George sorting some Peruvian Darkness Powder into the many shelves.

'George, me and Verity could use your help. George?'

'George seemed to come out of some sort of coma and started.

'Yeah?'

'Verity and I could use your help, mate.'

'Yeah…I'll just finish up this stuff…'

Ron walked closer to his brother and put a hand on his shoulder.

'George-'

'I should go help Verity,' he said abruptly, getting up and heading out the door. Ron sighed, and followed his older brother out the door.

Nine hours and twenty seven minutes later, Harry watched Ron appear outside the gate and walk towards the house. Harry and Ginny, who had been enjoying a walk around the house, walked towards him.

'Any word from Hermione?' he asked.

'She says she'll be here in a week,' Ginny said. 'Where's George?'

'Shop,' Ron replied quietly.

Harry and Ginny exchanged sad looks behind Ron's back, but followed him into the house for dinner.

'Ron,' Harry said as they ascended the stairs for bed, 'I'm sure Hermione didn't mean, you know, what I said-'

'Yeah. I'm sure she didn't too,' Ron said, though Harry was sure he didn't really mean it. 'Night.' He ascended the stairs, leaving Harry and Ginny outside her bedroom.

'G'night,' Harry said, pecking her on the cheek and following Ron up the stairs.

Ron was already asleep, or pretending, when Harry got in. He plunked himself down and fell asleep.


	3. Chapter 3: Promises

Chapter Three: Promises

The next week passed fairly quickly, despite the depressed mood of the house. Ron was now working almost all day everyday at the shop with George, and Harry and Ginny frequently found themselves alone in the house. Mr. Weasley was working extra hours at The Ministry, but Harry had a feeling it wasn't because of the demands of his job. Mrs. Weasley, too, seemed to be avoiding the rest of the house, although Harry sometimes walked by a closed door and heard distinct sobbing.

On Sunday evening, however, the mood of the house cheered up slightly with the arrival of Hagrid, Kingsley, and various other members of the Order. Mrs. Weasley sat them all down with a broad smile on her face, and everyone was even more pleased when Hermione arrived through the kitchen door with her parents. Hermione looked expectantly at Ron, but when he only said a quiet 'Hey, Hermione' she gave him an odd look and sat down beside him and her parents.

The table was so squished Harry could hardly move, let alone cut his meat. And Mrs. Weasley was so happy that everyone was there, and so happy that Hermione had returned that she didn't even throw Mundungus one dirty look. Hermione's parents were very polite, and spent most of the evening answer questions from Mr. Weasley, despite his wife's telling offs.

('Arthur, leave the poor people alone. Honestly, how would you like if someone badgered you about Floo Powder all evening!')

Dinner passed in a blur of happiness for Harry, and he, Ginny, Ron and Hermione washed their plates and snuck outside for a walk around the Burrow.

Harry grabbed Ginny's hand and Hermione grabbed Ron's, who looked surprised that she had done so. Together the four of them walked around the Burrow, clutching each other and laughing, and they sat down near the chicken coop.

'So what's next for you, Harry?' Ginny was saying with that laugh he loved. 'Off to kill some other Dark Wizard?'

'Might be,' Harry said, enjoying playing along.

'Unless of course he's got them all already,' Ron said.

Hermione did not participate in the playful banter, but was conjuring birds. The very same birds, it looked, that had attacked Ron in their sixth year. Ron noticed it too.

'Those things aren't going to attack me again are they?' Ron said, eyeing them warily.

Hermione waved her wand and they flew into the air. She watched them fly away.

'Good,' Ron breathed. Hermione smiled at him and Harry thought they might finally hit it off.

'How's George, Ron?' Hermione asked tentatively.

'Awful,' Ron replied shortly. 'Git won't talk to anyone.'

'Don't call him a git, Ron!' Hermione said reproachfully. 'He's really sad, I mean-he was-'

She broke off in suppressed sobs and sniffles.

'Mum's a wreck too,' Ginny said hollowly, after letting Hermione clam down. She wasn't looking at any of the group, but staring off into thin air. 'And Dad's been working late every night. And when he is home him and mum are just kind of locked up in their room.'

Harry didn't know what to say, so he stayed quiet. Hermione was telling the two of them how her parents were feeling about the loss of their son, but Harry was thinking about something else. Hermione, after explaining Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's emotions to the group, cried silently into Ron's shoulder, and Ginny was leaning sadly on Harry.

'When's the funeral?' Hermione said in a hollow voice. 'Does anyone know?'

'I heard mum talking about it with Dad and heard her say something about this weekend. I mean, it's been a whole week they have to realize that he's died sooner or later,' Ron said in a low voice. It sounded as though he was trying to speak past a lump in his throat.

'They know he's dead, Ron! It's just hard to accept!' Hermione said, reproachfully, tears brimming on her eyelids.

'Oh, blimey, Hermione, I didn't mean it like that, c'mere,' Ron said, holding her close as she cried into his shoulder. 'Its okay, Hermione…'

'I-I know, it's just- I mean it's Fred, and George is so down-'

'I'll talk to him,' Ron assured her.

Harry looked sideways at Ginny concernedly, but she was maintaining an impassive expression and staring into the starry sky.

'Ginny?' Harry said tentatively. 'Ginny?'

'Mmm?' she said, turning towards him, snapped out of her stupor.

'Are you okay?'

'Fine,' she said.

'Are-are you sure?'

'Yes, but I'm going to bed. Night,' she said, pecking him on the lips. 'Night Hermione, Ron,' she said as she got up and strode towards The Burrow without another word. She had sounded as though she was perfectly fine, but Harry knew Ginny well enough to know otherwise.

'I'll catch you up,' Harry said, getting up and wiping the grass off of his jeans.

'Harry what-?'

'I'll catch you up.'

Harry jogged to the kitchen door and wrenched it open. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were not to be seen in the kitchen or the living room, and Harry crept up the stairs as quietly as he could.

He approached Ginny's door and put his ear on the surface, listening. For a moment, Harry couldn't hear anything, and then he heard a sob that could only belong to Ginny. Harry knocked on the door.

'Ginny? Ginny, are you in there?'

Harry still had his ear on the door and he heard a small gasp and some scrambling around before the door was wrenched open. Ginny was standing in the doorway, tears drying on her cheeks, and her eyes red and puffy. For a second they stared at each other before Ginny let out another sob and fell into Harry's arms. She was sobbing weakly into his chest and harry did his best to comfort her.

Harry, however, had no experience whatsoever in calming Ginny down while she wept, because he'd never seen her cry before. He thought he did reasonably well, though, patting her on the back and whispering words of comfort. The only experience he'd had with this was Cho, and he hadn't done very well there either, according to Hermione, anyways.

'Oh this is ridiculous,' Ginny muttered, turning away from Harry, obviously not wanting Harry to see her crying.

Harry wanted to tell her that it was okay, that she was allowed to cry, and that it was a perfectly normal reaction, but he thought it was too Hermione-ish and he secretly didn't want her to start crying again.

'Please, Harry leave, I want to- oh just get out,' she said, wiping her eyes, her back still turned to Harry.

'Ginny-'

'Just go, please.'

Harry turned around, opened the door, and turned to face her before heading upstairs to Ron's room. Ginny faced him when she heard him stop.

'You'll see,' Harry said whispered as he opened the door wider and walked out. 'Everything will be fine, I promise.'

Of course you should never make promises like that, it's just asking for trouble.


	4. Chapter 4: Visiting Teddy

Chapter Four: Visiting Teddy

Mr. and Mrs. Granger were to stay at the Burrow for a couple of days and then would leave for their own home in London. Hermione, after convincing her parents, was to stay at the Burrow for the time being. Ron, who had been slightly down and moody when Hermione said she might be leaving with her parents, beamed at this news and hugged her tightly. It seemed to Harry like Ron and Hermione were finally a couple. They avoided saying so whenever Ginny asked, or when Mrs. Weasley pried and pestered them, but they were now seen holding hands together more often and Harry had gone around the Burrow with Ginny and found the pair of them kissing behind the broom shed.

One the eve of the Granger's departure, Mrs. Weasley made a spectacular dinner which by the end of it, the table was completely scraped clean and Harry could swear his jeans were about to burst. Ron, Harry had to admit, had eaten at least half of the entire table. After washing their plates, Harry got up with Ginny and walked up the stairs.

'Are you alright, Ginny?'

'Yeah, I'm going to Bill's tomorrow, want to come?'

'Sure, I was actually going to go see Teddy, we could do both?'

Ginny smiled slightly. 'Sounds fun.'

Ginny opened her bedroom door and held it open slightly. She looked at Harry expectantly and when he didn't budge she gave him a look of slight impatience and said,

'Well are you coming in or not?'

Harry grinned slightly, and walked inside her bedroom. Harry remembered the only other instant he had entered this room, aside from last night, where Ginny had given him his "birthday present."

Harry stood awkwardly in the center of the room, not knowing why he'd been invited inside. Ginny was sitting on the end of her bed, looking like she was in deep thought. Harry sat down beside her and put his arm around her. She leaned into his shoulder and said, 'Mum and Dad decided the funeral's in two days. I'm going to Bill's to tell him.'

'Can't you just send him an owl?'

Ginny shrugged and said, 'I suppose. But it'll be nice to see him.'

'Yeah, has Percy popped the question yet?'

'Dunno. He's probably waiting until the funeral's all over. We should get to bed,' she added. Harry nodded and got up, headed for the door. Ginny followed him.

'G'night,' Harry said.

'Night, Harry,' she said, kissing him.

Harry ascended the stairs and knocked on Ron's door. This was something he'd never done before, but with Hermione in the house and Harry walking in on them kissing behind the broomshed once already, he was not eager to do it again.

'Come in Mum,' came Ron's voice.

Harry opened the door grinning.

'Harry, why the hell did you knock? When have you _ever _knocked?'

Harry didn't respond but sat cross-legged on his cot and searched for his pajamas.

'Ginny and I are going to see Bill and Teddy tomorrow, want to come?'

'Wish I could mate,' Ron said, leaning back on his pillow, exhausted, 'but George's got me working all day.'

'How's he doing?' Harry said as he struggled to get his leg through his pajamas and nearly fell over.

'He's alright, I suppose. Still down, but I think he's coping.'

'Where's Hermione? I didn't see her in Ginny's room.'

'You were in Ginny's room?' Ron said sharply.

'Oh come on, it wasn't like that. We were talking.'

Ron snorted, but he was smiling slightly. 'Talking, right. Hermione wanted to say goodbye to her parents.'

'Oh, I thought they already left?'

'No they're leaving now.'

Harry had succeeded in putting on his pajamas and slid into the cot.

'Harry?'

'Mmm?' Harry replied sleepily. He had almost been asleep.

'Never mind,' he said, rolling over.

Harry was curious, but let it pass and rolled over himself, trying to find a comfortable position.

'Harry! Harry, wake up!'

Harry felt a slight stingy on the side of his face.

'Ow, that hurt, Ginny,' Harry complained, massaging his cheek and straightening his glasses. 'Where's Ron?' he asked when he looked up to find the bed empty, the blankets a mess.

'He let hours ago, it's nearly one o'clock in the afternoon.'

'Really?' Harry said, surprised.

'Yes!' she said angrily. 'We should be leaving for Bill's in five minutes! Downstairs and eat.'

'You sound like your mother,' Harry observed, cross armed. 'And I'm not dressed,' he added, looking down at his bare chest.

Ginny rolled her eyes and left the room. Harry changed, and leapt down the stairs, shoveled down a quick breakfast Mrs. Weasley had prepared, and went out into the yard with Ginny.

'Hermione didn't want to come?'

'I don't think she's here,' Ginny said. 'I didn't see her when I woke up, and that was at nine in the morning.'

'Where is she though?'

'Maybe she had things to do in Diagon Alley, I don't know,' Ginny said as she opened the gate.

'Ready?' Harry said.

Ginny rolled her eyes and disapparated. Harry grinned, and disapparated as well, knowing full well where she was going.

_Shell Cottage. The sea. Bill and Fleur__'__s. _Harry pictured Shell Cottage in his mind and the feeling of apparition left him and he opened his eyes. They were near the sea, and Harry could see the small but comfortable cottage he had stayed at for a few weeks when planning to break into Gringotts not too long ago. Ginny was standing beside him, grinning. She had never been here before. Harry grabbed her hand and they ran towards the cottage. Fleur, who was tending to the side gardens looked up and beamed at them, meeting them halfway.

''Arry, Ginny! Bill will be so 'appy to see you,' she said, waving them into the small house.

''E is busy at ze moment, but I will call 'im down. Bill!'

'I'm coming, one minute!' came a familiar voice from upstairs. There were footsteps on the stairs and then Bill came into the kitchen. His face was scarred by Fenrir Greyback, and he was tall, red haired, obviously, and freckled. He beamed at both Harry and Ginny. Ginny hugged him, and Harry shook his hand.

'What can we do you for?' Bill said, grabbing a raw steak from the fridge and taking a great big bite from it.

'Bill!' Fleur said reproachfully. 'Use ze plates!'

Bill grabbed a plate from the cupboard and slid his raw steak onto it.

'And a fork!' Fleur said as she waved her wand causing a fork to fly into Bill's steak, jabbing it and holding itself upright. 'Zere we go, esent that better?' she said, kissing him on the lips. Harry felt Ginny fidget slightly.

'How are you doing, Bill?' Ginny asked as she sat down, Harry beside her.

'I've been alright, it's been pretty quiet here, how's George?'

'A wreak,' Harry said. 'I know Ron's been trying to cheer him up and talk to him at the shop, but I don't think he's had any luck.'

'Oh, Ron's working in the shop now?'

'Yeah, I guess someone has to help George out now that-' Harry stopped and there was and uncomfortable silence throughout the room. Fleur was supervising the dishes washing themselves and Bill was eating his steak hungrily.

'Mum and Dad are pretty bad too,' Ginny said abruptly. 'Dad's been working a lot of hours, and mum's just crying all over the place.'

'Ze poor woman,' Fleur said. 'We should go see 'er Bill.'

Bill took a gigantic chomp out of his steak and swallowed. 'We'll go after dinner, Ginny and Harry can come with us.'

'We're actually going somewhere else after,' Harry said glancing at Ginny.

'Oh, well alright. Will you be there for dinner?'

'Should be,' Harry said. He could not see himself staying at Andromeda's for long.

'Well we'll stay at mum's for dinner,' Bill said.

'Zat will be lovely,' Fleur said. She waved her wand and Bill's plate flew into the sink and began scrubbing itself clean. 'We will see you there 'Arry?'

'Maybe,' Harry said, glancing at the clock mounted on the wall. 'We should go, though, Ginny. Teddy can't wait forever.'

'Ooo,' Fleur said excitedly, 'you're going to see leetel Teddy? 'Ow ez 'e?'

'Dunno, this'll be my first time seeing him, which is sad, I am godfather after all.'

Harry grabbed Ginny's hand and led her out of the kitchen. Bill and Fleur were waving goodbye as Harry and Ginny disapparated. Harry had to guide Ginny, as she had never been to Tonks' parents place. He remembered the only instance that he had. Crashing into their garden with a Hagrid he had thought dead after Voldemort's ambush.

They appeared in the lawn of an old looking house. Old, but welcoming. The garden Harry had crashed into last summer was repaired, and the flowers were flourishing. Andromeda was on the deck in a rocking chair, Teddy in her lap when she noticed them.

'Oh, hello!' she called. From here, Harry could see the similarities she bore to Bellatrix Lestrange, her sister, but as he and Ginny grew closer, the differences between them became more pronounced. 'Knew you'd be coming sometime, Harry. And you're one of the Weasley's,' she said to Ginny. 'Lovely people, I was sorry to hear about their son-'

'How are you, Mrs. Tonks?' Harry asked.

'Please, Harry, call me Andromeda. I've been alright. I must say I feel bad about the way our family treated poor Lupin, now that he and-' she sniffled slightly and Teddy fidgeted slightly in her arms.

'May I?' Ginny said, extending her arms for Teddy.

Andromeda sniffled again before saying, 'Of course dear, of course.'

Ginny took him, and smiled at him as his hair went from turquoise to bright orange mimicking Ginny. She laughed. Harry looked down at him, and couldn't help but smile. He was so innocent looking. Teddy looked odd, with his red hair and not one freckle decorating his pale face. Ginny handed Teddy to Harry and Harry, who had never held a baby before, had to listen to Ginny and Andromeda instructing him how to hold Teddy properly. Eventually they ventured inside when it began to get dark and cold, and Harry and Ginny chatted to Mrs. Tonks as Teddy rolled around on the floor, playing with his various toys.

'Mrs. Tonks,' Ginny said, looking around the empty house, 'do you want to join our family for dinner?'

Andromeda, too, looked around the living room, her eyes brushing over the empty living room. Her husband and her daughter and her son-in-law had all been killed, and the house looked unusually empty.

'Th-That might be welcome,' she said. 'Molly is wonderfully accommodating, how is she doing?'

'She's been better,' Ginny said.

Andromeda nodded wisely and said, 'Yes, we all have.'

Teddy was rolling around on the floor, crawling towards various objects in the house and examining them. Andromeda followed Harry's gaze. 'Yes, he's quite an adventurer, isn't he? Sometimes it's hard for me to keep up with him.'

Ginny smiled at Teddy as he fell on his bottom after trying to stand up using a side table as support.

'We should probably go, Ginny,' Harry said, grabbing her hand, 'Your mum will wonder where we are.'

'Mrs. Tonks are you coming with us?'

'Oh,' she said as she looked around the room in a hurry. 'Em, yes, I'll be there, but I have some things to do first, why don't you two take Teddy with you? I'm sure Molly could use a little distraction.'

Ginny nodded and scooped Teddy up carefully. The three of them left the house, waving goodbye to Andromeda, and Harry and Ginny set off down the garden path. Ginny was tickling Teddy under the chin, and his eyes were already drooping slightly. They disapparated and appeared in front of the Burrow. Harry and Ginny, who was holding Teddy, walked into the kitchen to see the Weasley family, including Percy, Bill and Fleur, and Charlie. Hermione had returned from whatever errand that had kept her from accompanying Ginny and Harry, and she was talking happily with Ron, who was beside her, looking equally happy.

At the sight of Teddy, all the woman at the table got up, and began fawning over him. Harry slipped out under a twinkly eyed Mrs. Weasley and took a spot next to Ron.

'Women,' he heard Ron mutter as he stared after Hermione who had taken Teddy from Ginny and was rocking him slightly. Andromeda joined them halfway through dinner, and Mrs. Weasley sat her down happily. They all ate cheerfully and laughed throughout Mrs. Weasley's wonderful dinner. Even George cracked a smile when Charlie waved his wand and caused the turnips to fly into the mashed potatoes, which Mrs. Weasley hastily corrected.

After dinner, most of the women played happily with Teddy as he crawled around on the living room floor, and the men watched their wives and girlfriends playing with the baby with shaking heads.

'How was George today?' Harry muttered to Ron who was beside him, eyeing Hermione.

'He was alright, he worked, I don't know what else to say, mate,' Ron muttered back, glancing covertly at George who was in a chair watching the fire.

'D'you know where Hermione was today?' Harry said.

'No, she didn't go with you to see Teddy?'

'No…'

Ron grunted and eyed Hermione carefully. Maybe he thought staring at the back of her mushy mane of brown hair would give him the answer as to her whereabouts this afternoon.

'I'll talk to her after everyone leaves,' Ron said in an undertone.

The crowd didn't thin, however. The entire Weasley family was staying until the funeral was over, and with Bill and Fleur, Percy and Penelope, (whose engagement ring glittered on her hand), and Charlie, there was not too much room in the house. Charlie was forced to sleep with Harry and Ron, Bill and Fleur had been relocated to Fred and George's room at George's insistence, while he took the couch in the living room, and Penelope slept with Hermione and Ginny, while Percy took his own room.

Harry, Ron, Percy and Charlie ascended the stairs, Harry, Ron and Percy bid goodnight to Hermione, Penelope and Ginny at the foot of Ginny's door, and Percy bid the three of them goodnight at his own bedroom. Ron opened the door and Charlie conjured a squashy sleeping bag for himself with a wave of his wand. Harry pulled the covers over himself as he thought about the day ahead. Fred's funeral. Hagrid had written and said that all the body's had been magically protected from decay and that he would bring the body over when he came next morning. The passing of Fred…

It would be hard. Even for Harry, who had seen so much death, this one, in particular, would be difficult. They all would, Harry thought, as he remembered all the others who had died at Hogwarts that night. Harry fell asleep with Fred's dead face and his blank eyes haunting his dreams.


	5. Chapter 5: The Funerals

Chapter Five: The Funerals

Harry woke feeling extremely sad for some reason, and it took him a minute to remember why. But then the memory of what he had been dreading last night came crashing down on him like an avalanche. Fred's funeral was today. Harry glanced above him to see Ron lying fully awake, staring at the ceiling. Harry could see that Charlie was already missing from the sleeping bag he had conjured last night.

'Have you been awake all night?'

Ron looked over at Harry on the floor and said, 'Yeah. Couldn't sleep.'

'Ron?' came a tentative voice from outside the door. The knock was gentle, cautioned. Hermione slowly opened the door, looking apprehensive.

'Ron, are you awake?'

'Yeah.'

Hermione walked inside and sat on the end of the bed. She looked like she hadn't slept much either. Her eyes were puffy and red, and her hair was a tangled mess of un-brushed, brown, bushy hair. Ron sat up to look at her. Tears seemed to be brimming in Hermione's eyes and Harry pretended to look for his pants to give them some privacy.

It sounded like Hermione was crying into Ron's shoulder to Harry. In his peripheral vision, Harry could see Ron holding Hermione comfortingly.

'H-How are you feeling?' asked Hermione in a low voice.

'I'm alright,' Ron mumbled.

Harry heard Hermione kiss him softly on the cheek. 'Well, your mother says breakfast's ready.'

'Okay, we'll be down in a second,' said Ron hollowly, looking over the edge of his bed for some pants. Harry and Ron got dressed slowly, dreading facing Mrs. Weasley and the rest of the family. When they entered the kitchen, Hermione was making sausages while Mrs. Weasley sobbed over her husband's shoulder. The mood of the family at the table was subdued and no-one spoke. Percy was holding Penelope and they were whispering to each other quietly, moving their lips as little as possible, and Harry thought that not even someone who could read lips could tell what was being said.

Fleur was holding Bill in her thin, delicate arms, but Bill seemed not to notice. He was still as a rock. Charlie sat beside his mother and was rubbing her back. George, Harry suddenly noticed, was missing.

'Where's George?' Harry asked.

'H-He's meeting us h-here,' Mrs. Weasley sobbed. 'I d-don't think he left the s-shop.'

Harry's heart sank at the sight of Mrs. Weasley's heaving shoulders and the sound of her racking sobs into her husband's shoulder. Mr. Weasley, too, was consoling his wife with an almost pained expression. Hermione began serving out the sausages, but Harry noticed that nobody really ate anything. The eggs lay untouched in the center of the table, and only Ron and Charlie had eaten some of Hermione's sausages. The rest of breakfast went to waste.

Harry got up and went outside, eager to escape the depressed mood of the family, and Mrs. Weasley's sobs. He walked around the garden, hands in his pockets, thinking about everyone they'd lost in the battle. Fred, who died with a smile on his face, Lupin and Tonks, dying together, the way that George only wished he and Fred had, Colin Creevy, dying at only sixteen…

Harry walked along silently, mourning the dead and their families. Andromeda would now have to get by without her daughter or her son-in-law or, Harry realized with a jolt, her husband. They had all left her alone in this world. Denis Creevy would be devastated about the death of his brother, and then, of course, there was Fred, who had left them all in this state…

Harry kicked a rock angrily and he watched it zoom into the garden a club a garden gnome in the head. The gnome twirled about comically for a moment or two, and then fell over, unconscious.

'Harry!'

Harry turned around to see Ginny running towards him, her fiery red hair billowing behind her. As she grew closer, Harry could see that her eyes were puffy, and tear streaks were drying on her cheeks.

'Harry, what are you doing out here?'

'Oh,' Harry said, looking at the floor. 'I couldn't take it.' He jerked his head towards the house slowly.

'Me either,' she said. Silently, Harry took her hand and they continued walking around the garden, Ginny leaning on his shoulder as they walked.

'When's Hagrid coming?' Harry asked quietly, trying to make conversation as they repeatedly walked around and around the house.

'An hour or so, I think,' Ginny said. 'I think he's bringing everyone else, there's a graveyard not too far from here that they're being buried in, but Mum wants Fred here…'

Harry nodded and his grip on Ginny's hand unconsciously tightened slightly. Harry looked up at the sky. The clouds were reflecting the mood of the entire house. They were a bleak grey, and it looked as though it might rain. Harry thought that it was extremely cliché for it to be raining at a funeral. And then, a moment later, was surprised. That was the sort of thing Hermione would think of. Maybe she was rubbing off on him…

There was a low roar in the sky, and at first Harry suspected thunder. The clouds certainly looked capable of the sound at the moment. Ginny heard it too, and looked up in the sky, curious. There was a continuous roar and it began growing louder and louder. Harry saw the massive dark giant flying through the air in what appeared to be a regular motorcycle. Floating behind him, were a dozen or so bodies.

Hagrid (for of course it was he) alighted on the ground with a soft thump, and he waved his pink umbrella softly and the bodies floated down to the ground and landed in the grass peacefully. Hagrid's eyes were red and puffy also, and he pulled out a table cloth sized handkerchief and blew his nose. The sound nearly made Harry cringe, and his stomach took an unpleasant squirm.

'S-sorry,' he mumbled. 'Its jus' so-so sad.'

Harry and Ginny led Hagrid into the house (they had to help push him through the doorway) and he stood in the corner, too heavy for a chair.

'Molly, Arthur,' Hagrid said, acknowledging the grieving couple. They seemed not to take notice and continued to cry into each other's shoulders.

The people began to come a little bit later. Slowly filing into the house and out to the backyard where Fred was to be buried. Many of them would offer words of comfort or apologetic words to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley that seemed to fall on def ears. Harry watched Kingsley, standing Minister for Magic, walk into the kitchen. Behind him were various other Order members including Mundungus Fletcher, Hestia Jones, Dedalus Diggle, Professor McGonagall and Aberforth.

'Your family is safe,' whispered Dedalus Diggle as he squished into the doorway which Hagrid was half blocking as he sobbed uncontrollably into his handkerchief. 'Had a little trouble getting them into the house. Apparently they didn't like the lodgings. But they are good and happy where they are.' Harry nodded, not entirely concerned about his Aunt and Uncle. 'Hestia and I have made plans to transfer them back to Privet Drive sometime next week, if ever you want to drop in and see them.'

Again, Harry nodded but secretly felt that it would take a very good reason for him to want to see his Aunt and Uncle again.

Mrs. Weasley looked up hopefully every time the kitchen door opened hoping to see George walk in the door. But it didn't look as though he was coming at all, which caused Mrs. Weasley to sob just that much harder.

'Git,' muttered Ron. 'Now he's gone and made mum worse. I'm going to have a word with him after this.'

'I'm sure he'll come,' said Hermione quietly as everyone walked out the back door. 'He'll be here.'

But that seemed less and less likely as everyone crowded around a spot of earth twenty feet from The Burrow. There was a _crack_somewhere in the distance and everyone looked up towards the gate which George was opening and walking briskly towards the crowd of people.

George looked uncomfortable and his eyes were red and puffy just like everyone else's as he stepped into the circle. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley both looked at him for a fraction of a second before rushing towards him and hugging him tightly. George returned the hug and it was only then that Harry noticed several bulging bags floating behind George.

George, catching Harry's eye and following his gaze said, 'A whole bunch of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes stuff. For Fred.'

Everyone smiled at George.

'Well,' he said wincing slightly as though the words were hurting his throat on the way out,'s-shall we do it, then?' He waved his wand and a section of the earth crumbled in upon itself, leaving a mound of dirt in the center of a 6 foot long six feet deep hole. George waved his wand again and the dirt hopped out and lay beside the grave.

Hagrid gave a great sniffle as Fred rose slowly and was lowered carefully into the grave. George, tears streaming down his face, deposited the Weasley's Wizard Wheezes items in the grave surrounding Fred. Skiving Snackboxes, Dr. Filibuster's Fireworks, Peruvian Darkness Power, it seemed that a sample of everything in their joke shop had been given a place of honor among their co-founder's body.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were sobbing uncontrollably. Mr. Weasley was trying to calm his wife. He cleared his throat and swallowed before saying, 'Anyone who-who wants to say something. Best…best do it now.' He looked expectantly at George who stepped forward out of the circle and knelt at Fred's grave, staring at the mirror image of his own face as he whispered, 'You can't know what this feels like Fred. Losing half of you. Or,' he added with a watery chuckle, 'maybe you do. You're as much in this fix as I am. Don't worry…I'll keep the joke shop alive.'

He got up and walked back into the circle. Mr. And Mrs. Weasley said a few words, Ron, Ginny, Bill, Charlie and Percy all said words. And Hermione and Harry did theirs together. George looked up at the sky, which was still bleak and rainy as he waved his wand and two Dr. Filibuster's fireworks that lay in Fred's grave ignited and shot into the sky. As they exploded into several multi-colored spirals and the fireworks dissipated into the air, they formed a sparkling image of Fred's face, grinning broadly.

Everyone watched in awe as Fred laughed and waved a sparkling wand, two more fireworks shooting out of it and into the air which exploded but did not make another Fred. The face winked once, and then exploded into sparkling bits of firework. Mrs. Weasley ran over to George and hugged him tightly. 'That was wonderful George!'

It began to rain and seeking to spare Fred's face from getting wet, Kingsley waved his wand and the mound of dirt rose, hovered over Fred's body for a few seconds and dropped, covering him completely. Mr. Weasley waved his wand in a sort of sweeping motion towards himself, as though beckoning someone to him, and a rather large boulder in the yard floated towards them.

'Molly,' Arthur Weasley prompted quietly. Mrs. Weasley looked flustered and was trying not to cry and she waved her own wand, which caused the rock to shrink into a gravestone, the unneeded rock falling to the ground. From there she carved the words 'Fred Weasley' and set it in front of the grave.

George gave a thoughtful expression and added, 'Stupid git, you never finished the inventory', which Mrs. Weasley vanished away with her wand and smacked George in the back of the head.

From there the funerals progressed to a neighboring graveyard and Harry watched as Tonks, Lupin, Colin and several other people were lowered into separate graves. A few people hung around afterwards at The Burrow but none for very long, and pretty soon Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had disappeared to Merlin knows where, Charlie had gone out for a while, and Bill and Fleur had left for Shell Cottage.

On the upside, George was now staying at The Burrow. Although he refused to sleep in his and Fred's room, he did sleep in Percy's who had gone back to London with Penelope straight after the funeral, apparently unable to face it.

Ron and Hermione seemed to be a full-time couple now, and both Harry and Ginny were thrilled. It had not been an enjoyable experience for Harry seeing the two of them awkwardly avoiding each other's gaze after their kiss in the Room of Requirement.

'How are you?' asked Hermione late one Sunday evening as Harry looked out the window of Ron's room, down at Fred's grave which had been made only three days before. Harry looked up into her face and watched her look out the window as well, following Harry's gaze.

'I'm fine. Is Ron at the joke shop?'

'Yes,' said Hermione, not looking away from the window.

'And Ginny?'

Hermione smiled slightly and took her gaze away from the window to look at Harry with a knowing smile on her face. 'Out with Mrs. Weasley in Diagon Alley.'

Harry nodded slowly.

'You know Harry,' said Hermione slowly, 'I've been thinking.'

'About what?'

'Well…now don't get mad or anything Harry,' said Hermione beseechingly, 'but I've been thinking about your Aunt and Uncle.'

Harry tried not to laugh as he nodded again. 'Why were you thinking about my Aunt and Uncle?'

'Well…mostly what you told us about your Aunt.'

'You mean about her wanting to go to Hogwarts, and that's why her and my mum never got along?'

'Yes,' said Hermione.

'I don't think it's that important,' Harry said slowly. Yes, his Aunt had wanted to be a witch, for however brief a time, and yes, Petunia Dursley, or rather, Petunia Evans at the time, had known Severus Snape. But the importance of the discovery was more to the fact that his mother and Snape had been friends. Even now, Harry wasn't sure if Snape had been a good guy or a bad guy. 'And I don't want to see them, really, Hermione.'

'Oh, but Harry I really think you should,' insisted Hermione. 'Their moving back to Privet Drive Dedalus said, you could-'

'No, Hermione, please, just drop it.'

She looked slightly affronted but let silence fall. Ginny and Ron came in together and Ron planted a kiss on Hermione as she stood up hastily.

'Sorry I'm late,' he said, 'but George was really excited about some new product and there was an opening ceremony and, oh, it was just really, really busy.'

'What's that?' Harry asked Ginny. He was pointing to a newspaper that was clutched in her hand.

'Oh, the new headmaster for Hogwarts was announced,' she said lamely. 'There's a bit about Dumbledore and McGonagall in there too. And when the school's opening again.'

Harry took the offered newspaper and read aloud,

_In the early hours of yesterday morning, acting Minister for Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, previously head of the Auror Office prior to Rufus Scrimgeour's promotion to Minister for Magic, announced the newest Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry._

_Elaine Vanderhorn, a published author and well respected witch throughout the magical community was approached with the position early last week and gladly accepted. Professor McGonagall, previously Deputy Headmistress of the famous school, and the woman who would have succeeded Albus Dumbledore as head of the historic school, announced her retirement and congratulated Vanderhorn on the position._

_Vanderhorn herself commented, "I am quite pleased to even be considered, let alone accepted as head of Hogwarts. I remember my own days there, nearly eighty years ago as though they only just happened. Whilst I doubt that I, nor any other headmaster or headmistress to come will ever do as well a job as Albus Dumbledore, I will certainly give it a go.'_

_For more information on Vanderhorn, see page 13._

'Vanderhorn?' Harry asked Hermione.

'Oh, yes,' she said nodding. 'She's quite the famous witch. She's published a few books on magical theory and some other things. Apparently she's nearly as extraordinary as Dumbledore.'

Harry folded up the paper and tossed it on the ground. The four of them stayed awake for quite some time until Hermione began drooped her head and Ron and Harry escorted her and Ginny (who stubbornly refused) to bed.

Harry and Ron bid the girls goodnight and went back to Ron's room. Ron's Chudley Cannons posters covered the walls and Harry, for the first time in his memory, found it difficult to fall asleep in Ron's room. Thoughts of Fred, Tonks, Lupin, and all the others who had been buried only days ago entered his mind.

Grumbling slightly, Harry rolled around in bed for what seemed like hours until he willingly let sleep take him.


	6. Chapter 6: Kingsley Shacklebolt

_Okay. It's not my standard to do this, but I feel I owe it to you all. If you're reading this, then, wow, you're dedicated. I've not touched this story in months, and I apologize deeply. I've been very swamped, and I swear I have some sort of disease where I can't stick to one story more than five chapters. (I've started about two dozen seperate stories since I abandoned this.) Anyway. I'm back, as I stumbled across my own story while searching for some Harry Potter fanfiction and was inspired magically. So! Thank you for those of you who are dedicated enough and like this story enough to continue reading. And once again, sorry for the very, VERY long wait!_

-Mr.SturgisPodmore

Chapter Six: Kingsley Shacklebolt

Harry awoke with a groan and rolled over unconsiously, hitting his head of the leg of Ron's bed. He cursed quietly and rubbed his head and opened his eyes. He was looking at Ron's Chudley Cannons poster and the player whose name Harry couldn't remember was waving at him. Pigwidgeon was hotting merilly from his cage, zooming around in it and knocking it about. Harry wasn't surprised that Ron hadn't woken up from the racket, he had always been a deep sleeper. Almost like a zombie. It was still dark outside, Harry noted as he looked outside the window. He checked the watch fastened to his which told him that it was just passed three in the morning.

Pigwidgeon gave a particularily loud hoot as he noticed that Harry was awake and smashed himself into his cage, which came near to falling off of Ron's dresser. With another groan, Harry picked himself up, grabbed Pigwidgeon's cage and walked him over to Ron's window. He lifted the cage up to his face height so that he could look Pigwidgeon in the face.

"Now, if I let you out, you don't tell Ron, right?" he said to the owl who gave a small, merry little hoot and hopped up on his perch in the cage. "Fine," said Harry unlatching the window and letting Pigwidgeon soar out into the open sky. Harry watched the tiny owl go, feeling sorry for Hedwig for the first time in a long time.

Giving his watch another glance, and then switching his gaze to the cot beside Ron's bed, Harry decided that it would be easier to stay up the rest of the morning then trying to get back to sleep only to be woken up by Mrs. Weasley's shrill voice telling him breakfast was ready. He opened the door quietly, trying not to wake up Ron though the feat was nearly impossible, Harry doubted whether a troll could wake Ron up, and headed down the stairs. He hesitated at Ginny's door, wondering if it would be too inapropriate to wake her up, but decided not to and continued down the stairs and into the kitchen.

He was surprised to see a light on at the foot of the stairs coming from the kitchen, and as he descended he heard a coffee mug hitting the wooden table and the sound of a chair scraping across the floor. Harry poked his head around the corner and found Hermione sitting at the table, sipping her coffee and looking sadly out of the window. She didn't seem to notice him and Harry looked at her.

She seemed to be thinking about something, and looked deep in thought. He wondered, too, whether a troll could snap her out of her stupor, but, unfortunately, he didn't have one on him. A troll wasn't exactly something you could pull out of your pocket. Hermione's hair, Harry observed, was untamed and unbrushed, and Harry was reminded humorously of Hagrid and his wild hair and beard, though Hermione was lacking the latter. There were dark circles under her eyes and she looked as though she hadn't slept in days.

Harry took a step off of the stairs and walked into the kitchen. Hermione noticed him now, though he didn't avert her gaze from the window. "I just made the coffee, if you want to join me," she said quietly.

Harry looked at her with concern. What was wrong? There was something wrong with the way she was speaking. "Sure."

Hermione waved her wand in a sort of swishing action and a mug zoomed out of the cupboard, which had opened by itself, and began filling itself up with coffee. Afterwards, the pot returned to the stove and Harry's mug flew slowly towards him. It landed on the table, lay there for a moment, and just as Harry was about to reach for it, it raised itself up from the table about an inch and a coaster flew out of nowhere and went on the table, and the mug landed sfotly on the newly arrived coaster.

"I know I'm not usually big on that sort of thing," said a voice, "but I figure, why not?" Both Harry and Hermione turned towards the stairs to find Mrs. Weasley standing at the foot of the stairs wearing a weary smile, her wand pointed at the table. Her hair, too, was rather untamed and, though Harry felt sure he was imagining it, looked a little greyer. She looked about ten years older than the woman Harry remebered less than a year ago.

"Oh, good morning Mrs. Weasley," said Hermione awkwardly, looking around the kitchen.

"Morning. Late night, you two, or early morning?"

"Late night," said Hermione.

"Early morning," said Harry simultaneously.

Mrs. Weasley's hands fell to her hips and she walked over to the stove and waved her wand, pouring herself a cup of coffee for herself. "Well, I suppose the time has passed where I could send you both to bed, seeing as you're both adults now, so, I can't do much about it. Where's Ron?" she asked curiously, looking at the empty chair between the two of them as though she suspected that he was under the invisibilty cloak or a disillusionment charm.

"Sleeping," replied Harry. "Like the dead."

Mrs. Weasley nodded wisely. "I remember one time ... Ron nearly made us all late for my cousin's wedding by sleeping in, even when I _told_ him to go to bed early. He's dead hard to get up."

Both Harry and Hermione grinned slightly, though both were too tired to laugh. Harry got the impression that Mrs. Weasley was trying to make Ron sound somehow more impressive, though he couldn't think why, nor did that make much sense to him.

"Yes..." she said a bit dreamily. "He's a deep sleeper." She took a sip of coffee and sat herself down in the chair between them hesitantly, as though she wanted to make absolutely sure that Ron wasn't with them - invisible.

"Is Ginny going back to school, Mrs. Weasley? Do you know?"

"No, I'm afraid I've no idea," said Mrs. Weasley looking thoughtful. "There hasn't been much time to discuss it...I would assume she would like to. And are you two?" she asked rather disapprovingly. Harry knew that it had been against her wishes that the three of them drop out.

"No, I don't think so," said Harry immediately. "Though, I've no idea what I could do for a profession."

"I'm sure something will turn up," said Mrs. Weasley confidently, giving Harry an encouraging smile. "You're Harry Potter, after all." Harry didn't quite know what to say to that so he just smiled. "What about you, Hermione?"

"Oh, I certainly will," said Hermione quickly, glancing out the open window. "I sent an owl to Hogwarts, telling them I would be returning. I mean, if I didn't go back to school I don't think there's much I could do. Not what I wanted, anyway."

Mrs. Weasley nodded, following Hermione's gaze out the window. "What are you looking at, dear?"

Hermione looked at Mrs. Weasley sharply, who seem surprised at the reaction, and then Hermione seemed to snap out of it. "Oh, nothing, just waiting for my owl from Hogwarts."

Harry doubted that this was the real reason, but Mrs. Weasley seemed satisfied. She glanced off out the window, too, her eyes scanning Fred's gravestone. Both Hermione and Mrs. Weasley, who were staring out the open window, jumped and Hermione gave a small shriek as a large barn owl flew through the window and landed on the table, sticking out his leg to which a letter was attatched. The owl was in the center of the table, so everyone was unsure who's it was, and Hermione reached forward to untie the letter. When she had done so, the owl gave a small hoot and flew off.

Hermione turned the envelope over and gave a small gasp and then wordlessly handed it to Harry across the table. Harry looked at the Ministry of Magic insignia in the corner. His name and the Weasleys' adress was written in black ink by a neat hand, though unmistakeably male.

"Well don't just stare at it, Harry," said Mrs. Weasley with a smile, "open it."

Harry tore open the envelope and letter fell out which Harry opened up quickly and read. He read it through twice, to make sure that his brain processed it all.

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_I would first like to congratulate you on your defeat of the Dark Lord Voldemort. This is an informal letter, Harry, sent from one friend to another, and, for the duration of this letter, I am merely Kingsley Shacklebolt rather than the acting Minister for Magic. I would like you to know, Harry, that Dumbledore would be very proud of you, and the entire wizarding community owe you their lives. I, on behalf of the Magical Community, thank you for the great deed you have done us all._

_Now, let's can the formality, shall we? I know I promised you informal, but that little spiel was necessary. You are, after all, a great hero in the magical community, probably the greatest there ever was and ever will be, and deserve to be praised. If you wouldn't mind, Harry, I would like to speak to both you and Ronald Weasley this morning at eleven, if it is agreeable with you. It's nothing terribly urgent, but delaying this would not be prudent._

_You may also inform Miss Granger that her acceptance into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy has been approved by myself and the new Headmistress, Mrs. Vanderhorn, you should have read about her lately, and that her letter will be arriving by owl shortly with a list of books and the other things she'll be needing._

_I'm sorry I can't explain more, but the nature of your visit is, at it's core, fairly important, and there are still dangerous Death Eaters roaming about that could want to take a shot at you and the Weasley's, along with anyone else in the Order, and I can't risk this letter being intercepted._

_I promise we'll talk more of this when you arrive._

_ Yours sincerely,_

_ Kingsley Shacklebolt, acting Minister for Magic_

Hermione held out her hand for the letter and Harry handed it to her saying, "Kingsley wants Ron and I to go to his office at eleven." Mrs. Weasley looked at him curiously.

"That's odd," she said evasively, as though she were hiding something. "I would have thought all this secret Ministry business was over with."

"So did I," admitted Harry.

"Did he say why?" asked Hermione, scanning the letter.

"No, just to come and that it was important." Mrs. Weasley muttered something Harry couldn't hear and walked over to the stove and began making breakfast. Hermione was reading the letter quickly and he saw her mouth tug upwards at the mention of her acceptance. When she was finished, she folded i up and placed it carefully on the table as though it was something very fragile.

"It's nearly seven in the morning now, Harry," said mrs. Weasley from the stove. "You should wake Ron."

Harry nodded and pushed himself up from the table, walking up the stairs and trying to not to make to much noise so as not to wake anyone. He walked passed Ginny as she descended the stairs, giving him a curious look. Harry pushed open Ron's door and shook him awoke.

"Ron," said Harry, shoving him a little. "Ron!" he hissed. "Get up!"

"S'matter?" mumbled Ron sleepily.

"Your mum wants you downstairs, breakfast's ready, and we've got an appointment." 

Three and a half hours later Harry and Ron arrived outside the Visitor's entrance via apparation, where they had once jumped several people to infiltrate the Ministry. Ron gave the ground below them a look of disgust.

"Who knows where that bloke blew chunks," he said in a mutter. "Could be anywhere."

Harry and Ron walked in through the door's and received tags and had their wands checked. After they had gone through all the strenuous security measures, Harry and Ron reached an elevator that only occupied an elderly witch holding a teacup that seemed intent on biting her hand off. She had it caged in waht looked to be an old owl cage.

"Where is Kingsley?" asked Ron quietly as the elevator began to move, the woman above indicating which floor they were on and the different departments to be found. The woman got off at the Improper Use of Magic's Office, and Harry and Ron were left alone.

"I dunno. Where else would he be?"

"Well, he's acting Minister for Magic," said Ron. "So, is he in the Minister's Office, or-?"

The door opened and the woman above told them that this was the Auror's Office. Ron didn't need to finish his sentence because Kinglsey Shacklebolt was waiting for them outside the elevator. His earing wasn't in, and he looked very professional in robes of black, looking for all the world like the Minister for Magic.

"Harry, Ron," he said, offering them each a hand as though they had only just met. Which, of course, to everyone else in the Ministry, they had. Most of the Order had decided that, even after the fall of Voldemort, they would keep the Order quiet. There were still Death Eaters around, after all. And some, Kingsley had said, within the Ministry.

"Please, follow me," said Kingsley leading them down the hallway. They made several turns and sooner than he expected, Kingsley stopped and turned, "This is the auror office," he said seriously. "What we do here is confidential. You musn't say a word. Understand? Not to Arthur, and certainly not to Molly."

Both boys grinned slightly as Kinglsey nodded and opened the door. It was big, much bigger than Mr. Weasley's office that Harry had been crammed into during his hearing. There were rows of desks lined up along the aisles, and there were several windows which were showing a bright, sunny artifical day. Harry specifically remembered Mr. Weasley telling him that the weather was artificial. Kingsley was approached by several people whom Harry took to be aurors, though he only caught bits of what each was saying.

"-found a Death Eater, though we don't know-"

"A woman reported seeing Mulciber-"

"There's several messages waiting for you, Minister and-"

"-we can't know for sure until-"

"Yes, thank you," said Kingsley. "_Thank you. _Get back to work, I'll see each of you in turn. Hullen!" called Kingsley as the crowd departed. A short, balding man stayed put, Harry assumed he was Hullen. He was carrying several papers and promptly handed them to Kingsley. "Has there been anything new?"

The man shook his head. "Not recently. So far as we know the Death Eaters didn't really stick together, they all just fled."

Kingsley nodded thoughtfully. "Well, work on finding them, and we'll go from there."

The man nodded again and returned to his desk where he quickly waved his wand and watched as a pen began writing words he was speaking. Kingsley beckoned them forward and Harry and Ron followed, watching several aurors doing their work. He le them to a large office that Harry knew must be his.

The office was large, but cluttered. There were bookshelfs on magical law, and other such things. His desk was covered in memos and documents, and there was a garbage that seemed to be regurgitating it's contents.

"Damn thing," muttered Kingsely, waving his wand and forcing the crumpled bits of paper back into the can's mouth. It did not take it easily, and spluttered and coughed. When the last ball had left the floor, Kingsley had them sit in two chairs which he conjured, and they all sat down.

"Now, I suppose you're both wondering why you're here?" Harry and Ron nodded.

"Well, we're waiting for someone else, so I can't exactly get to that yet. He should be here soon." Kingsley shifted in his chair but found it difficult amongst the mess. "Oh, damn." He waved his waved and the room tidied itself up in one swift motion. Books straightened, papers fell into neat piles at the edge of the desks, and the pencil on the desk gave a little shiver and rolled on the desk and into Kingsley's hand.

There was a knock on the door and Kingsley waved his wand and it opened. Harry was surprised to see Neville Longbottom in the doorway, looking like he had only a few nights ago at Hogwarts. Kingsley conjured another chair and gestured for him to sit.

"Now that we're all here," he said, "we can begin." He straightened in his back. "I don't suppose any of you know the state of the Ministry as of now?"  
All three boys shook their heads. "Well, as of now, I'm Minister. They're reccomending me to stay in the position permanently, but it's not a sure thing. The remaining Death Eaters, for now, aren't our primary concern, though they are one of them. The problem with the Ministry is trying to undo all the damage Voldemort did. There are families to be compensated, roads to be rebuilt, we've got to do memory charms on the Muggles, it's going to be hectic for quite some time.

"Now, I don't have many people to spare," he said carefully, "and the Death Eaters need to be rounded up. And I know all of you exhibited interest in becoming aurors, so..." Harry was listening carefully, but he could see a problem. "I've spoken with Molly, Ron, and she isn't thrilled, but she respects your position as an adult, and your ambitions. Harry, you're an adult as well, and Neville, I spoke with your grandmother and she's _ecstatic_." Harry knew all too well what Neville's grandmother would be like. A very proud woman, she hadn't been very nice to Neville in his earlier days at Hogwarts. "So, as of now, if you agree, you'll be temporary aurors. You'll need to undergo certain training, but we'll need to cut that short until another time when there's less to do."

"But Ron and I haven't acquired the necessary test results," said Harry.

"Me either," piped up Neville. "We didn't do much learning last year."

Kingsley smiled. "No, you certainly didn't. As for you and Ron, Harry, the Ministry is willing to give you jobs despite your lack of grades. Both of you had a great hand in defeating Voldemort, and would make excellent additions to the auror office. And as for you, Neville," he said turning to him, "you also proved yourself, and the Ministry is willing to offer you all jobs. Now," he said in a serious tone, "after all this Death Eater business is done you'll be hitting the books. You'll need to go through the training required of an auror, all the tests and things, and you'll need to be prepared for more schooling, because, even with your N.E.W.T.S. and your O.W.L.S., it is required that an auror, even one graduated from Hogwarts with all their years," he winked at harry and Ron, "needs to further their education."

"Well, I'm in," said Ron at once.

"Me too."

"And me," said Neville.

Kingsley nodded. "Good. There's some documents to fill out. You know, legal forms."

He waved his wand and three of the papers in his stack flew out along with pencils and Harry caught one and read the first thing he was to sign. 'In the event of severe injury, dismemberment, permanent transfiguration, death, and/or any imeasurable damage done by magic in the line of work is not obligitory to the Auror Office or the Ministry for Magic.'

Harry read this aloud and Ron snorted.

"Great," he said darkly and signed the form.


End file.
